Of the 300 neuroblastomas diagnosed nation-wide each year, Rush University sees about three cases - but clinicians couldn't recall ever having a patient hospitalized for so long. From the beginning of the treatment for Kya Simpson-Freeman, 4, they faced a daunting task: Stomping out the tumor, while not crushing the spirit of a little girl who had to essentially live in the hospital for six months. From January to June, the staff - physicians to housekeepers - dedicated themselves to keeping the rhythms of ordinary life in extraordinary circumstances. Playing "Candyland" and "Connect 4" became as much a part of the treatment plan as ultrasounds and IVs.